Overview

• The black–green state government approved a Bundesratsinitiative to introduce a Digitalabgabe on large online platforms and search engines.
• Only services reaching more than 45 million monthly users in the EU would be covered, mirroring the Digital Services Act threshold.
• Smaller providers and start-ups would be excluded to avoid burdening innovation and to preserve media plurality.
• Proceeds would flow into a special fund to support local and regional media offerings and bolster independent opinion formation.
• Targets would include companies such as Google and Meta, drawing on Austria’s 5% model, while federal proposals have floated a rate around 10% and would still require national legislative approval.